An editorial in the Iraqi weekly Al-Iqtisadi [The Economist], which is owned by Saddam Hussein's eldest son Uday, called for the formation of suicide [fidaiyoon] squads to launch broad-based sabotage operations against the United States, its friends, and interests. [1]
As an introduction, the weekly highlighted the growing Arab, regional, and international opposition to American threats against Arab and Muslim countries, and Iraq, in particular. The following are excerpts from the article:
"...The United States practices international terrorism against the whole world. By doing so, it turns peoples and governments into hostages, thereby causing the suspension of international activities and generating fears and instability in the international domain. This conduct has similarities with Hitler and Nazism which led the world to a world war."
"...It is unlikely that the United Nations will establish an international tribunal to prosecute the U.S., but it is not difficult for any country to indict it [the U.S.] internationally and to mobilize other countries to do so despite the ridiculous international decision that protects American forces from their crimes against others…"
"…The confrontation with the aggressors should transcend the means of condemnation and rejection, particularly in the Arab and Muslim street. They should use all means-and they are numerous-against the aggressors, including boycott, closing air and sea ports to civilian ships and airplanes that belong to the U.S. and its allies, striking their economic interests and establishments, and considering everything American as a military target, including embassies, installations, and American companies, and to create suicide/martyr [fidaiyoon] squads to attack American military and naval bases inside and outside the region, and mine the waterways to prevent the movement of war ships... [bold emphasis added]" [2]
[1] Al-Iqtisadi, September 5, 2002. The editorial was signed by Munthir 'Aref. It should be recalled that the leadership of the Ba'ath Socialist Party [the ruling party in Iraq] as far back as last April called to "hit" American interests in the Arab homeland, Al-Hayat, April 8, 2002.
[2] This report is excerpted from MEMRI's Iraq News Wire No. 9. For more on Iraq, visit: www.memri.org/iraq.html.
